Chrysanthemum plant -- named Illini Mist

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct form of chrysanthemum plant named Illini Mist characterized by its flat capitulum form and single capitulum type; pink tubular shaped spoon tipped ray florets, 60-70 mm. diameter across face of capitulum, excellent flower production, and its short and compact growth habit.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., named Illini Mist.

Illini Mist is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with single anemonecapitulum type, pink ray color and tubular ray floret form, 8 weekresponse, and with the ability to produce commercially acceptablequality in year round pot mum programs. Such traits in combination werenot present in previously available commercial cultivars.

Illini Mist was originated from a hybridization made in a controlledbreeding program in Urbana, Ill. in 1976. The female parent wasidentified as 68-04-73 and the male parent as 21-04-74. Illini Mist wasdiscovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of theselected parentage by John R. Culbert in June, 1977 in a controlledenvironment at Urbana, Ill., and subsequently given the code name FP ILL76-99.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Illini Mist was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection inSeptember, 1977 in a controlled environment in Urbana, Ill. by atechnician working under formulations established and supervised by JohnR. Culbert. Horticultural examination of selected units initiated Dec.18, 1977 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Illini Mist are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Illini Mist has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length. Thefollowing observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Urbana and West Chicago, Ill., and Parrish, Fla. undergreenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Illini Mist, which in combinationdistinguish this chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Single capitulum type.

3. Ray florets nearly tubular with only a tiny spoon tip.

4. Ray florets have bright pink spoon tips and light pink tubes.

5. Yellow-green (immature) to yellow (mature) disc floret.

6. Diameter across the face of the capitulum 60-70 mm.

7. Short pot plant height of about 200 mm. from edge of pot.

8. Semi-upright branching pattern and compact growth habit.

9. Excellent flower production.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to Illini Mist is Fantasy, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 4,469 granted Oct. 23, 1979. In comparison to Fantasy, IlliniMist is more compact, performs better under high temperatures, and itsray florets are almost completely tubular with only a tiny spoon tipwhereas the ray florets of Fantasy have much larger spoon tips. Thecapitulum form and color are similar to those same characteristics ofFantasy.

The accompanying color photographic drawing shows typical inflorescenceand foliage characteristics of Illini Mist, with colors being as nearlytrue as possible with illustrations of this type.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determinedbetween 9:00-9:30 A.M. on Apr. 25, 1983 under 2000-2500 foot candleslight intensity at Parrish, Fla.

Classification:

Botanical.--Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., cv ILLINI MIST.

Commercial.--Novelty Daisy Pot Mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat, single, spooned; very long tubular handles and tiny, shortspoon tips, with regular arrangement of ray florets and slight spacingbetween each floret; 30-35 ray florets depending on season and culture.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--60-70 mm.

Number.--Normally 18 to 20 per plant grown in sprays on pinched plants.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters.--Bright pink;good color retention.

Color (abaxial).--75B.

Color (adaxial).-- Spoon 70B, tube 70C-D, fading to an even lightercolor approaching white under conditions of advanced aging and hightemperature.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--Yellow.

Color (immature).--Yellow-green.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present disc florets only -- many.

Gynoecium.--Present ray florets and disc florets -- one per floret.

PLANT

A. General appearance: Short, compact and slightly spreading but uprightgrowth habit; abundant foliage; 200 mm. plant height.

B. Foliage:

Color (abaxial).--147B.

Color (adaxial).--147A.

Shape.--Deeply lobed and slightly serrated.

C. Response: Early, generally 8 weeks.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct form of chrysanthemum plant named IlliniMist, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized byits flat capitulum form and single capitulum type; pink tubular shapedspoon tipped ray florets; 60-70 mm. diameter across face of capitulum;excellent flower production, and its short and compact growth habit.